Flash light lamp detector



Feb. 5, 1935. w. w. LILLARD 1,989,706

FLASH LIGHT LAMP DETECTOR Filed April 7. 1931 //V l EN' T'UR Patented Feb. 5, 1935 1,989,706

- FLASH LIGHT LAMP nn'rao'roa William w.- mm, washinrtoa, n. 0. Application April 7, 1931, Serial No. 528,368 11 Claims. (01. arc-2.25)

The present invention relates generally to lumito the smoke and dust often found in the atmosnous lccators for portable electric lamps and phere in and around cities, the transparency of more particularly to locators for the type of portclear glass or celluloid is sometimes considerably able electric lamps commonly called flashlight decreased. My window member being easily re-- lamps which employ cylindrical dry cells carried movable, it can be quickly cleaned without en- 5 in a tubular shell or housing. dangering the luminous paint of the locator with Flashlight lamps are usually out or switched cleaning materials. oil? when not in use in the dark, and if laid aside Other features and advantages of my invention even for a few seconds they are sometimes difiiwill appear hereinafter.

l0, cult to find quickly. In many cases, it Every I Referring to the drawing: desirable for a person to be able to locate, pick Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectiona up and use his flashlight, in the shortest possible view of a locator device embodying my invention time. attached to the rear end of a flashlight lamp To facilitate finding a flashlight lamp in the shown in part.

[5 dark quickly, it has been proposed to attach to Figure 2 represents a flashlight lamp shown the shell of the lamp, members bearing spots of partly in perspective and partly in side view and radium paint covered by transparent protective having a locator device similar to the kind shown window members, all of the elements ofthe 10- in Figure 1 attached to the forward end of its cator device being permanently fastened to the shell or housing.

shell of the flashlight. Radium paint of the kind Figure 3 represents a longitudinal sectional 20 suitable for use in flashlights loses much of its view of a two-piece locator unit embodying my inluminosity in three or four years. Hence it is vention which is designed to be attached to the obviously objectionable to permanently attach to rear end of a flashlight lamp.

a flashlight lamp, locator devices employing such Figure 4 is a side elevational view, broken away radium paint. in part of the structure shown in Figure 3. 26

It is an object of my invention to provide in-' Figure 5 is a side elevational view, broken away expensive replaceable locator means for a flashin part of a locator device embodying my invenlight which means may be securely mounted on tion'which is well suited for use in damp places the latter in rigid relation thereto. and is designed for attachment to the rear end of Another object of the invention is to provide a. a flashlight. f

flashlight locator unit suitable to replace a rear Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the structure detachable cap usually found on most flashlights. shown in Figure 5.

According t0 One ay th y in ti y Figure 7is alongitudinal sectional view through be practiced there is mounted on a flashlight rear a locator unit employed in the embodiment of my 3 5 cap member, a collar member having a portion invention shown inFigure 5. coated with a luminous radium paint. Simple Figure 8 is a rear end view of the structure inexpensive devices including a transparent tubushown in Figure 7. lar casing around the collar cooperate with the Figure 9 represents a partial front view of a cap and the collar to form a protective chamber flashlight lamp equipped with a locator device for the luminous locator surface. embodying my invention which is similar to the A feature of my invention resides in the condevice shown in Figure 5 but has a luminous struction of the constituent parts of the locator area larger in diameter than theshell of the device for easy assembly on the flashlight cap flashlight. without tools. This permits the luminous locator Figure 10 represents a longitudinal sectional element and the protective members to be bought view of the structure shown in Figure 9. separately from the flashlight and thereafter to In Figure 1 is illustrated how my invention may be easily attached to the same by the user. be applied to the rear end of a flashlight having Another advantageous feature of my invention a cylindrical tubular shell 11, shown in part and resides in the provision of means for mounting the having threads 12 formed in its rear end portion transparent window member of my locator device in a usual way. 13 represents a usual cylin- 0 so that the window member can be readily redrical dry cell.

moved for cleaning purposes without tools. Such A locator or detector device made according cleaning is desirable at times, especially since to one embodiment of my invention for attachradium paint suitable for inexpensive flashlight ment on the shell 11 may include a sheet metal locators has arelative-low lumincscity and owing cap member generally designated as 14 which 5 UNITED" STATES PATENT- OFFICE has adjacent its open'end threads formed in its ly larger than the external diameter of the.

threads 12. The outside diameter of the extension 15E is slightly less than the outside diameter of the threads in the wallet the cap. The extension 15E is provided mainly to give a better ap pearance, especially if the cap 14 is used without the other elements of the locator device. To the rear end of the tubular portion 15 is integrally joined a flared portion 16 for a purpose to presently appear. An annular knurled bead or ridge portion 17 having an end wall or closure 18 is integrally joined to the rear and larger end of the flared portion 16.

To inexpensively mount a luminous radium locator element on the cap member 14 in away so that it can be easily removed and replaced, I provide a ring or collar 19 of paper, fiber or other material suitable for taking radium paint which collar preferably has'an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion 15 around which it is disposed.

To protect the luminous substance (not shown in Figure 1) on the collar 19, a tubular casing 20 of celluloid or other suitable transparent material engages around the collar 19; the inside diameter of the casing-being slightly larger than the outsidediameter of the collar 19. To cooperate with the collar 19 and the casing 20 to form a closed protecting chamber for the luminous locator element on the collar 19, a nut member generally designated as 21 isprovided with the internal threads arranged for'engaging the threads in the tubular portion 15. and has a downwardly sloping rear portion 22 disposed next to the collar 19. By this construction, a closed chamber for the luminous substance isprovided which includes, in effect, a windowelement-the casing 20- 'which permits the luminous substance to be seen while helping protect it from injury.

The slopes of the cap portion 16 and the nut portion 21 are preferably the same and in practice will be as small as is practicable. The widths of the collar 19 and the casing 20 are'so propore, tioned relative to each other and to the slopes of the cap portion 16 and nut portion 22 that when the nut is screwed up on the cap far enough both the collar. 19 and the casing 20 will be squeezed tightly between the sloping cap portion 16 and the sloping nut portion 22 and also be held apart. By this arrangement, there is formed a substantially airtight compartment or chamber for the luminous radium element on the outer surface of the collar 19.

It can be' readily seen that when it is desirable to remove the casing 20 as for cleaning or adjusting it, the cap memberl4 may be removed and thewnut member unscrewed, both of which operations can be performed easily with ones' the casing 20 on the nut 21 will help hold the latter from becoming unscrewed. The outer periphery of the nut 21 may have knurls (see Figure 2). The outside diameters of the bead 17 and nut 21 will preferably be just slightly'larger than the outside diameter of the casing.

To replace the luminous radium element of the detector shown in Figure 1 it is only necessary .to screw off'the nut--21, remove'the casing 20 and the collar-'19 which carries the radium element which may be like the element 19R shown in Figure 2.: An unused collar 19 may then be slipped on, the casing 20 replaced and the nut 21 screwed up until it binds against the collar and the casing as described above.

The above described construction affords a special advantage. in that it permits a flashlight lamp equipped with only a bare cap member 14 to 1 cases it may be desired to permanently secure the nut 21 againstworking loose. This may be .done by forming. one or more small: bumps. or knobs 25 in the thin wall of the cap extension- 15E to come against the forward side of the nut 21 in the undercut 24. These knobs can be formed by a light blow on a prick punch. A com- .mon form of contact spring 26 may be disposed in the cap 14 to make contact between the shell 11 and the cell 13 through the cap member 14. My invention may be practiced for removably mounting av luminous locator element adjacent the forward cm; of a flashlight .(seeFigure 2). A flashlight lamp generallydesignated as 30 includes a metal shell 31 inwhich threads 32 may :be formed ina usual way in its forward end. A usual rear cap 33 ofany desired form may be screwed ontherear, end of the shell. 'A locator unit.34, except as her inafter noted may be con- .structed like the assemblage of the cap 14, collar 19, casing20 and nut 21 to engage the threads 32v for holding the unit on the shell 31. A locator element 19R. in the-form of a series of dots or a ring or band of radium paint may be carried on the collar 19 around which it may completely extend, a portion of the ring thus being visible from every angle'that a'person can approach theflashlight 30 when it lies on a roadway or The forward end of the locator unit 34 has an inreaching lip 36 arranged for holding in place a usual lens 3'7. It can be seen from inspection of Figures 1 and 2 that the locator unit 34 may beconsidered a duplicate of the assemblage including, the cap 14 except that the extension 15E is omitted and the end wall 18 is partially removed and the remainder formed like the lip 36.

It will be understood by those-skilled in the art that the incandescent lamp and reflector (not shown) can be mounted in any suitable way in the hollow portion of the locator unit 24 behind the lens 37.

In Figures 3 and 4, is illustrated another form of a locator unit which embodies my invention and is designed for attachment on the rear ofa flashlight lamp. A rear cap member generally designated as 10 includes a central cylindrical body portion 41', a rearwardly extending flared portion1e3,-;a knurled bead or rim 44 and an end element 45, all of which parts will preferably be made from a si.-..gle piece of sheet metal. These parts, in some cases, may be advantageously made of such material as celluloid, rubber or bakelite.

To engage around the body portion 41, there is provided a transparent casing 46 of "glass or celluloid. The luminous element ,of the locator cap 40 may be a" series of dots or. spots 461?. of radium paint adhering to the inner circumference of the casing 46 and beingspaced therea'round so that one or more spots will be visible from any direction that a person may approach a flashlight lamp 40L to which the cap 40 is attached.

To inexpensively fasten the casing 46 securely on a cap 40, a short outwardly extending 'oflset 47 is formed in the body portion 41 andnext to it is provided an integral cylindrical shelf 48 on which'the forward end of the casing 46 is seated The length of the casing 46 is such that its rear end is disposed against the flared portion 43 when the front end restson the shelf 48. The material of the cap 40 will preferably be such that it can be easily formed by a spinning'operation and the cap 40, and the casing 47 may be revolved on a suitable machine of a well known kind and by spinning operations the rear end of the cap 40 may have the shelf 48 turned outward to engage tightly against the adjacent end of the casing 47. Thereafter a beadportion 49, an end portion 50 and flange portion 51 may be formed as illustrated in Figure 3. It will be understood however, that without departing from the scope of the present invention various changes in the. shapes and cross-sections of "the elements of the cap 40 may be made for producing a tight seal between the metal portion of the cap 40 and the casing'46.

To increase the eifectiveness of the seal between the casing 46 and the metal cap 40 a suit able-cement 460 may be applied to ends of the casing just before it is assembled with the metal, and the ends of the casing may be rounded. If made of glass, the casing 46 may be reinforced with metallic wires 52 and 53 embedded therein as illustrated in Figure 4. Threads 54 may be light 40L to some'object. It can be readily seen that various forms of the ring 55 can be fastened to rear cap members embodying my invention.

In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 is shown another embodiment of my invention wherein a removable locator element is mounted inside the cap member having view openings through which a luminous radium element may be seen. 1 A flashlight generally designated as includes a shell 61 having external threads 62 for engaging threads in a cage-like cap member '63,which has a cylindrical body 64 arranged with a series of sight openings in the form of closely spaced slots 648. An end element 65 of the body 64 may have a number of holes 65H of various sizes arranged in any suitable way to afford a good view of a radium locator element in a bottle-like glass container 66 mounted in the cap member in a way to be presently described.

For mounting the container 66 in the member 63 the latter is made with an inreaching annular bead-like element 6'7 against which a mounting disc generally designated as 68 is held by means to be presently described. The disc 66 has a concavo-convex body portion 70 of sheet metal out of which is cut a contact spring member 71 (see Figures 5 and 7) which is arranged to press against the rear end of a usual cylindrical dry cell 69' thereby completing the circuit of the flashlight and holding the disc 68 firmly against the bead 67.

To fasten the container 66 in the disc 68, a centrally located round hole is provided in the latter and the container is made with reduced neck member 72 which engages closely in the hole in the disc and passes therethrough. The

A flange portion 76 of the container 66 may be arranged to receive with a tight flt a glass end member 77 constructed with a recessed central portion in its inner face to leave the remainder 78 of its inner face separate from the central portion. The end member 77 may be cemented with an airtight flt to the flange portion 76, The 011'- set portion 78 of the end member 77 may have a coating 78R of luminous radium paint.

If desired, the end member 77 can be made integral with the flange portion 76 and the paint 78R can be applied through a mouth opening in the neck 72 which opening may be tightly closed with a stopper 79 of cork or other suitable material;

In Figures 9 and 10 is illustrated another embodiment of my invention which is similar to that shown in Figures 5 to 8 inclusive. To a flashlight shell 80, a rear cap member is screwed in a usual way and includes a cylindrical body member 81 having a flange portion 81F and an enlarged cage member 82 which may be fastened to the flange portion by welding or soldering; A bottle-like container 83 which may be constructed similarly to the container 66 carries a luminous radium surface 83R, and may be fastened to a flat circular mounting disc 84 by devices similar to those employed for fastening the container 66 to the disc 68. The disc 84 may -be held in place against an inreaching annular bead 813 by a usual contact spring 85 shown in dot-anddash outlines, which spring engages against a usual dry cell 803.

It will be noted that the luminous surface 83R has a greater diameter than the body 81.- To

permit the surface 83R to be readily seen when the flashlight lamp 80 is in certain positions such as when it rests on the floor'in a vertical position, view openings 86 are provided in the flange element 81F.

It can be readily seen that the means disclosed herein for mounting a luminous radium element on the rear of a flashlight lamp will function with such a lamp when made with a housing or shell in other than a cylindrical form. In such cases, the rear cap members which carry the luminous elements can be detachably fastened to the shell of the lamp by other devices than screw threads.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A luminous detector for an electric lamp threads of said housing, the threads in said cap extending out beyond the outside diameter of said wall, said detector further including a collar member. having a luminous, portion and .engaging around said cap, a transparent tubular casing engaging around said collar, the diameter ot,said collar memberand saidfcasing being smaller than the outerdiameter of said annular bead, and a nut threaded engage the threads on'said cap, said collar said arranged for cooperation with said beadand-said nut whereby to be squeezed therebetwee'n as said nut is screwed up on said cap ,ior' forming a protective chamber for said luminous portionllr- 2. A. luminous. detector unit for a flashlight lamp detect-or device including a threaded rear cap member for said lamp, a transparent tubular easing engaging around said cap, the inner suriace-oisaidcasing away from said cap and luminous, radium? paint deposited on a portion of said. innerws uriace, integral portions of said cap- Iorm'ed ofFengaging closely against the endso't said basing whereby a closed proteotive chamber tor saidradium is provided.

3. A detector-devicefor a'flashlight lamp employing dry' cells-mounted in a cylindrical shell, said device including a protective metal cage member detachably mounted on the rear end of said shell, a closedtransparent'container in said cage memberhaving a portion of its interior suriace coated with a luminous radium paint, means efiective 1dr mounting said container in said cage and for, making contactsbetween said dry cells and said shell.v 2

'4. A luminous locator for attachment to a tubular electric lamp housing, said locator including ashort tubular bodydevice having means for detachably fastening said device to said housing, a plurality otareas oi luminous paintspaced apart around said body device intermediate its ends, a transparent ring-like window member disposed around said'body device over said areas, an annular bead membercarried by said, body device at each end of said-window member and ar- 1 ranged to cooperate therewith for forming about said luminous areas a protective chamber extending entirely around said body device,- and means efiective tor releasing the engagement of said bead members with said window member preparatory :toremoving said window member for cleaning purposes from the vicinity of said iumlnous areas. I

5. In combination, an-electric flashlight lamp having a cylindrical threaded shell, 9. cap device having one end threaded ior detachable engagement with said shell, a plurality of luminous areassupported onsaid cap device and disposed the'rearound, a transparent cylindrical member engaging around said areas, and a threadedmember screwed on the threads in said cap device, said threaded member and said cap device arranged for engaging said transparent member to hold the same on said cap device.

6. A body member for a flashlight rear cap unit which unit includes a collar member carrying luminous locating means and a threaded sleeve member for holding said luminous means therefor at one end thereof, and a raised annularhead around said wall portion adjacent said closed end, the side of said bead opposite from said 7 closed end havinga downward taper for engage-v ment with said;coilar member, said cylindrical 1 wall. having threads-iormed therein adjacent the open end thereof to leave a smootb. unthreaded wall portion between said threads and .said'open end, the. internal diameter of said threads bein such that said cap unit is made eflfective to screw on said flashlight shell and the external -diam veter oi 'said'thr'eads being suchisaid threaded sleeve member may passover the outer unthreaded wallpertion and be screwed on said'body,

member,

7. A l'unnnous locator tor a portable. electric lamp having a tubular-housing, said locator including a gap member releasably attachabie to said housing, a luminous member carried by said cap member, a transparent window'member carried by said cap and cooperating therewith to formv a protective chamber for said luminous member in which chamber said luminous member can be readily seen, said window member extending entirely around said cap and releasable means Ior.. holding said luminous member and said window member in flxed'relation to said cap, said window member, being movable angularly with respect to said cap member while engaging therearound and being reieased therefrom.

8. A luminous locator for'a portable electric lamp having a tubular cyiindrical housing, said locator including a cap rnember releasably attachable to said housing, said cap member having a cylindrical wall portion luminous means carried by said cap member, a circular transparent-window device for protecting-said luminous means, and means ior'holding said windowdevice in fl xed co-axial relation to said cap member, said window device being spaced away from said cylindrical wall portion of said cap member.

9. A locator for a portable electric lamp having a threaded tubular housing, said locator including a'capmember having a threaded portion for screwing on said housing, said cap memher having an annular bead portion adjacent the end of said cap member opposite from said threaded portion, a transparent window member engaging around said cap, the inside diameter of said window member being less than tlie out-' side diameter of said head portion, a nut member screwed on said cap and holding said window member against said bead portion, and areas of luminous paint spaced around said cap under said window. V

10. A luminous locator for attachment to a portable electric lamp housing, said locator ineluding a tubular body device arranged to be releasably attached to said housing, a plurality of luminousareas spaced apart around said tubular body device intermediate its ends, a transparent tubular window member engaging entirely around said tubular body device, a closure ele-' ment carried by said body device at each end of said window member andarranged to cooperate therewith ior forming a protective chamber about said iuminous areas, andmeans for releasing saidwindow member from said closure elements, whereby said window member mayv for said luminous means, said chamber being carried by said cap, and a cylindrical transparent window member for said chamber, the curved periphery of said window member being disposed in parallelism to the curved periphery of said cap adjacent thereto.

12. In a luminous locator'for a flashlight, in combination, a cylindrical cap member detachably and rigi y .-iastened on /said flashlight, luminous locator means, a closed protective chamber for said luminous means, said chamber being carried by said cap. and a'circular transparent window member for said chamber, said window member being disposed, in coaxial relation to said cap member, and the curved periphcry of said window member being spaced at all points equi-distant from the curved periphery of i said cap member.

13. A tubular cap member for carrying luminous locator elements for use with a flashlight which comprises a plurality of threaded members, said cap member having thread elements for engaging the threaded portion of one oi said members, and a cylindrical skirt portion between said thread elements and the open end of said cap member, the inside diameter of said skirt portion being greater than the root diameter 01' said thread elements, and the outside diameter 01! said thread elements being greater than the outside diameter of said skirt portion, where-- by another of said threaded members may be,

passed over said skirt said cap member.

14. A tubular sleeve member for carrying luminous locator elements for use with a flashlight which includes including a plurality of threaded members, said sleeve member having threadelements engageable with the threaded portion of portion and screwed on one of said members, and a cylindrical skirt portion between said thread elements and one extremity of said sleeve member, the'inside diameter 01' said skirt portion being greater than the root diameter oi said thread elements, the outside idiameter of said thread elements .being greater than the outside diameter of said skirt portion, whereby another bers may be passed over said skirt portion and screwed on said sleeve membe 15. A luminous locator for attachment to a portable electric lamp housing, said locator including a tubular body device arranged to be releasably attached to said housing, a plurality of luminous areas spaced apart around said tubular body device intermediate its ends, a transparent tubular window member engaging entirely around said tubular body device, and a closure element carried by said body device at each end 01' said window member and arranged to cooperate therewith for forming a protective chamber about said luminous areas, said window member being adjustable circumferentially with respect to said luminous areas.

16. The combination with a tubular flashlight, of an endless ring member engaging completely around said flashlight, releasable means ior holding said ring member on said flashlight in rigid relation thereto, a plurality of luminous elements spaced around said ring member, and transparent protective means for said luminous elements, said luminous elements and said protective means being releasably held on said flashlight in flxed relation thereto by said ring member, said luminous elements and said protective means being separable from each other when removed from said flashlight.

17. In a flashlight, in combination, a tubular member for engaging around said flashlight, said tubular member having an annular bead element adjacent one end thereof, and a threaded portion adjacent the other end thereof, a plurality of luminous elements to be spaced around said tubular member when the same engages around said flashlight, a threaded member arranged to be screwed on said threaded portion, and a tubular support for said luminous elements, said support being disposed around said tubular member and arranged to be releasably gripped between said bead and said threaded member, in rigid relation to said tubular member.

WILLIAM W. LILLARD.

of said threaded mem- 

